If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

F.O.C for the DFA is that not cheap enough Paulo, they are never going to pay to attend

I have had a look at the BSAC website and the prices to become A DFA instructor very from £98.00 to £120. this to me is not a huge amount if it was a route I wanted to go down I would pay it. I suspect that if I put a case to my branch that it would provide a benefit to the branch they would help fund it. Possibly other branches also help with instructor development cost.

I enjoy lots of aspects of diving sometimes it costs me. Cave diving in the UK is not for me, I spent several times £120.00 on caving courses and cave diving to learn about an aspect of diving I had no real knowledge of, then decided no not something I wish to take further.

Back on track thank you to Trevor for standing for council at least you are trying to help the BSAC rather than standing on the sidelines throwing eggs. I have been asked if I had considered standing but as I do not have the business skills required that is not a role for me. I will vote in the election and I suggest all BSAC members take the time to vote as well. I will concentrate on helping my Branch go diving and grow.

Back on track thank you to Trevor for standing for council at least are trying to help the BSAC rather than standing on the sidelines throwing eggs. I have been asked if I had considered standing but as I do not have the business skills required that is not a role for me. I will vote in the election and I suggest all BSAC members take the time to vote as well. I will concentrate on helping my Branch go diving and grow.

What is the difference between helping your branch grow and being on Council? Answer = none.

Just because someone feels aggrieved enough to throw an egg or two from the sidelines, that doesn't mean they are not
contributing to BSAC.

I look on candidates not on what they say they will do, but what they actually have done.

Members of a well-run active club team, put themselves forward for Instructor and pushed onto help out on the likes of ITS,
Run SDC's or even become Coaches etc. (all without whinging about personal cost/time/money) to benefit own branch & BSAC
as a whole.

Regardless of any business skills (which are hard to fully gauge anyway IMO), REAL commitment to BSAC has to be backed
up by evidence, that trumps rhetoric in my book anyday.

What is the difference between helping your branch grow and being on Council?

judging by some of the candidates statements I'd hazard a guess that one is quietly ensuring that your local club survives so you have people to go diving with the other involves pushing a minority interest whilst feeling all self important and adding it to your CV?

What is the difference between helping your branch grow and being on Council?

judging by some of the candidates statements I'd hazard a guess that one is quietly ensuring that your local club survives so you have people to go diving with the other involves pushing a minority interest whilst feeling all self important and adding it to your CV?

or am I being a bit harsh?

Think it's a pretty wide range from those that have genuine altruistic motives right through to those with selfish ones.
Not sure that makes a great deal of difference though, when the goal is how effective they are in the job.

Might be a simplistic view but I always look at the branch they come from first.

A key mover in a branch that is doing well and has progressed regardless of any of the obstacles all branches face,
seems to me to be the kind of person required on Council. That's a world away from the apologist coming from a
weak branch that always lays the blame on others.

If you can't sort your own branch out, that doesn't bode well for the bigger roll of sorting out BSAC as a whole IMO.

and therein lies the rub, I looked at the candidates statements and a couple of them struck me as genuine people with something to offer, but I really couldn't see what others could bring to the party.

and therein lies the rub, I looked at the candidates statements and a couple of them struck me as genuine people with something to offer, but I really couldn't see what others could bring to the party.

What is the difference between helping your branch grow and being on Council? Answer =

Branch committes tend to be a lot more diving focussed and hence more fun. Last Saturdays Council meeting was dominated by the Accounts. Which, while worthy and crucially important, are a bit too close to the day job to be fun.